Paper container and blank for constructing same



Aug. 19, 1958 c. H. GEIGER, SR

PAPER CONTAINER AND BLANK FOR CONSTRUCTING SAME Filed Oct. 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CLARENCE H. (Susana. SR,-

- EFL f as 1958 c. H. GEIGER, SR 2,848,153

PAPER CONTAINER AND BLANK FOR CONSTRUCTING SAME Filed Oct. 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F' 5 J-# v es 59 6O Fl 6. 7.

INVENTOR. CLARENCE H. Gum-32,512,

"W Wm,

flTTO PNEY United States Patent PAPER CONTAINER AND BLANK FOR CONSTRUCTING SAME Clarence H. Geiger, Sn, Rogersville, Tenn.

Application October 31, 1956, Serial No. 619,489

Claims. (Cl. 229-17) This invention relates to a box or container and to a blank for constructing the same.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and simplified one piece blank for use in making a paper or cardboard container for cigarettes, other tobacco products, cereals and like articles.

Another object is to provide a paper box or container of the above-mentioned character having a novel and simplified closure'and novel means for maintaining the latter in a closed position.

A further object is to provide a container of the abovementioned character for cigarettes, which will greatly facilitate dispensing the same substantially with one hand.

Another object is to provide a blank and container of the above-mentioned character which will be sturdy and durable in construction and highly economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a plan view of a blank in accordance with the invention and showing the same in the initial fiat or unfolded condition. V

Figure 2 is a further plan view of the blank after a first folding and gluing operation.

Figure 3 is a still further plan view of the blank showing a further folding step performed upon the same.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a partially completed box or container resulting from a further folding and gluing of the blank as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the completed container after folding and gluing of the end flaps shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the container taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the container with the same holding a paper or metal foil wrapper of cigarettes or the like and showing the container closure opened.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on line. 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the container closure and associated elements.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 1010 of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 11-11 of Figure 4.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, attention is directed first to Figure l, which illustrates the initially fiat one piece cardboard or paper blank used in the construction of the box or container. This blank comprises a generally rectangular body portion 15 and a liner or reinforcing portion16integral withthe ice body portion 15 and being rectangular, as shown. The body portion 15 is provided with transverse parallel spaced score lines 17, 18, 19 and 20 to facilitate folding the same upon such lines, and a similar transverse score line 21 is provided at the juncture of the body portion 15 and liner portion 16. The liner portion 16 of the blank is similarly provided with a pair of spaced parallel transverse score lines 22 and 23 to facilitate folding it in the subsequent construction of the container.

The blank of Figure l is further provided adjacent to the longitudinal edges 24 and 25 of the liner portion 16 with longitudinal score lines 26, 27, 28 and 29, as shown. The score lines 27 and 29 are preferably in alignment with the edges 24 and 25, whereas the score lines 26 and 28 are in alignment with each other but preferably offset outwardly of the lines 27 and 29 a distance about equal to the thickness of the paper blank, and this arrangement is to facilitate the proper folding and interleaving of flaps to be described.

It may now be seen with further reference to Figure 1 that the score lines 26 and 17 define in the blank body portion 15 a first relatively wide rectangular panel 30 which will form one relatively wide side of the box or container when the blank is folded. Likewise, the score lines 17, 18 and 27 define in the blank body portion a first relatively narrow rectangular panel 31 which will form one of the relatively narrow sides of the completed container. The score lines 18, 19 and 28 in like manner define in the blank body portion a second relatively wide rectangular panel 32 similar to the panel 30 and adapted to form the other relatively wide side of the completed container when the blank is folded in a manner to be described. A second relatively narrow rectangle area or panel 33 of the blank is defined by the score lines 19, 2t) and 29, and this panel 33 is similar to the first relatively narrow panel 31 and is adapted to make up the other relatively narrow side of the completed container. In like manner, the score lines 20, 21, 22 and 23 define with the edges 24 and 25 of the blank liner portion 16 additional relatively narrow transverse rectangular panels 34, 35, 36 and 37, similar to the panels 31 and 33 and being of substantially equal width.

Outwardly of the score lines 26, the blank body portion is formed to provide a pair of relatively wide rectangular flaps 38 and 39, foldable upon the score lines 26. The flap 39 is provided at the transverse center of the panel 30 with a score line 40 which is perpendicular to the lines 26. The blank body portion is further provided outwardly of the score lines 27 with relatively narrow flaps 41 and 42, preferably tapered somewhat as shown, and being separate from the flaps 38 and 39 and foldable upon the score lines 27. The outer ends of the flaps 41 and 42 preferably project a slight distance beyond or outwardly of the corresponding ends of the flaps 38 and 39. In like manner, the blank body portion 15 is provided outwardly of the score lines 28 with additional relatively wide rectangular flaps 43 and 44, similar to the flaps 38 and '39 and entirely separate from the flaps 41 and 42 and foldable upon the score lines 23 and having their outer edges in alignment with the outer edges of the flaps 41 and 42. The flap 44 has a transverse score line 45 perpendicular to the score line 28 at the transverse center of the panel 32, as shown. Outwardly of the score lines 29, the blank body portion is provided with' additional relatively narrow and preferably tapered flaps 46 and 47, substantially identical with the flaps 41 and 42 and being entirely sep arate from the adjacent flaps 43 and 44.

The blank body portion 15 is provided in its panels" 32, 33 and 34 with a longitudinal slit 48, and this slit wardly of and parallel to the edge 25 and score lines 28 and 29, and it extends entirely across the relatively narrow panel 35 and for relatively short equal distances into or across the panels 32 and 34, Figure l. Diagonal slits 49 and 50 extend from the ends of the slit 43 outwardly in diverging relation toward the edge 25 and score line 28, and the outer ends of the diagonal slits 49 and 50 terminate near and slightly inwardly of the edge 25 and score line 28, as shown. The diagonal slits 49 and 50 which are formed through the blank are spaced equidistantly from the opposite sides of the panel 33, and the outer end of the slit 49 terminates adjacent to the score line 45. The slits 48, 49 and 50 form within the blank body portion near one side and one end of the latter an inwardly tapering tongue 51 which is transversely foldable upon the score lines 19 and 29 and which has hinged connection with the blank by virtue of the score line 28 and the small area 52 of material in the panel 3.4, adjacent the outer end of the slit 50. It is thus seen that the tongue 51 is formed partly within each of the panels 32, 33 and 34, at corresponding ends of the latter and just inwardly of the flaps 44 and 47 and adjacent the edge of liner portion 16.

The liner portion 16 has its panels 35, 36 and 37 similarly provided with a transverse slit 53 and diagonal slits 54 and 55, arranged similarly to the slits 48, 49 and 50 and forming upon the liner portion 16 a tapered tongue 56 similar to the tongue 51. The slit 53 is, however, somewhat closer to the edge 25 than the corresponding slit 48, and the diagonal slits S4 and 55 are spaced apart a slightly lesser distance in the blank than the slits 49 and 50. Accordingly, the tongue 56 is somewhat narrower in both directions than the tongue 51 but the corresponding edges of the two tongues are parallel and the tongues are similarly shaped, as indicated. The tongue 56 is connected or hinged to the liner portion 16 by the small widths of material between the ends of the slits 54 and 5S and the edge 25.

Adjacent the slit 53 and at the score lines 22 and 23, the liner portion 16 of the blank is further slit to provide a pair of small rectangular tabs or detent elements 57, which are foldable upon the lines 22 and 23. These tabs 57 are entirely separate from the tongue 56 and are formed out of the material of the panels 35 and 37 just inwardly of the tongue 56 and near its inner corners. These tabs 57 perform an important function in the completed box or container as will be further described.

The panel of the blank is slit diagonally at 58 from the inner end of the score line 40, as shown. An additional slit S9 is formed through the outer edge of the panel 30 and intersects the end of the diagonal slit 58 to form upon the panel 30 at one outer corner thereof an inwardly tapering and generally triangular tongue 60 hinged or foldable upon the score line 26. The diagonal slit 58 is parallel to the slits 50 and S5, and the slit 59 is parallel to and in substantial alignment with the slit 48. The tongue 60 is free of attachment to the panel 30 except at the score line 26.

In the first step of forming the completed container illustrated by Figures 5, 7 and 9, the entire areas of the panels 35, 36 and 37, except for a narrow area or band 61, Figure l, surrounding the margins of the tongue 56 may be coated with suitable cement or glue, as shown in Figure 1. The entire tongue 56 is also coated with the cement or glue. The area 61 surrounding the tongue 56 and defined by the line 62 encompasses the small tabs 57 and corresponds to the difierence in size or area between the tongues 51 and 56. The narrow band-like area 61 must remain uncoated with the glue or cement so that the larger tongue 51 will not adhere to the tabs 57 and adjacent areas of the liner portion 16 in the completely assembled container. After thus coating the liner portion 16 with glue the liner portion is folded upon the score line 21 so as to overlie the panels 33 and 34 and one-half of the panel 32, as indicated in Figure 2. The tongue 56 will now overlie the larger tongue 51 in the manner shown in Figure 2, and the tongues 51 and 56 will be cemented together and the panels 35, 36 and 37 will be cemented or glued to the panels 32, 33 and 34 except in the narrow area 61 which contains no glue.

In the next step of assembling the container, the blank of Figure 2 is folded ninety degrees once upon the score line 22 and another ninety degrees upon the score line 23, until the now glued together panels 34 and 35 are overlying and spaced above the panel 37, Figure 10. At this time, the inner faces of the flaps 43 and 44 may be coated with glue and the outer face of the panel 34 and the adjacent portion of tongue 56, Figure 3, are also coated with glue. The blank is now further folded first upon the score line 18 and next upon the score line 17' to bring the relatively wide panel 30 into superposed contacting relation with the glue coated side of the panel 34 and tongue 56, Figure 4. The generally triangular tongue is now registering with and will adhere to the glue coated portion of the tongue 56 shown in Figure 3, and the panel 30 will also adhere to the glue coated panel 34, as the container assumes the condition best shown by Figures 4 and 11.

It is now merely necessary to fold the flaps 41 and 46 inwardly and to then fold the flap 38 upon the flaps 41 and 46 and finally to fold the glue coated flap 43 upon the flap 48 to complete the lower end of the box or container which will be permanently closed. In like manner, the flaps 42 and 47 are now folded downwardly and the flaps 39 is folded downwardly upon them and the coated flap 44 is folded downwardly upon the uncoated flap 39 to complete the construction or assembly of the container, which will now appear as in Figure 5.

It will now be seen that the blank portion 16 composed of the panels 35, 36 and 37 and the tongue 56 constitute an inner liner or reinforcement for the right hand end of the completed container, Figure 5, having the hinged closure at its upper right hand corner. The reinforcing liner extends in assembly to the transverse centers of the relatively wide sides 30 and 32, and it extends throughout the full height of the container. The tongue 56 likewise forms a reinforcement or liner glued to the inner side of the larger tongue 51, and together these tongues now make up the hinged closure or cover 63 of the completed container, as indicated. The hinged closure 63 composed of the tongues 51 and 56 is now hinged or swingable upon the now superposed score lines 40 and 45, Figure 7, and the superposed portions or sections of the flaps 39 and 44 to the right of the score line 45, Figures 5 and 7, and the underlying flap 47 actually constitute the topwall of the hinged closure 63 as best shown in Figure 6.

As further illustrated by Figures 7 to 9, the uncoated area 61 of the blank, Figure 1, will now project somewhat beyond the mouth or opening in the corner of the container defined by the slits 49, 48 and 50, Figure 9, to form a flange 64 about the mouth or opening which is inwardly offset from the outer sides of the container, an amount equal to the thickness of the paper. This inwardly ofiset flange 64 will extend about the three sides of the container having the corner closure 63. When the closure 63 is swung to the closed position, Figure 5, its side walls will engage outwardly of the offset flange 64 of the inner liner and the arrangement will afford a very snug closing of the container and the closure 63 will be guided into position so that its edges will accurately abut the edges 48, 49 and 50, which are the slits in Figure l. The flange 64 will additionally serve to center or position the closure 63 in its closed position, so that the latter will not tend to shift sidewise relative to the container.

In the completed container, the small tabs or detents 57 willtend to spring outwardly from the flange 64 as shown in the drawings, and when the closure 63 is shifted to the closed position, its side walls will engage the detents 57 and fold or force them inwardly as shown in Figure 8, and the tendency of the detents 57 to spring outwardly will serve to frictionally hold the cover or closure 63 in the closed position. It has been found that when this container is utilized for holding cigarettes in a standard number, the action of the tabs or detents 57 in conjunction with the hinged closure will continue to be effective for securing the closure in the closed position the required number of times for dispensing the twenty cigarettes. It is of course entirely, feasible and contemplated within the scope of the invention to construct the blank and container from a more durable material than paper or cardboard, although the latter are entirely satisfactory for most uses, such as cigarette containers, cereal boxes and the like. Obviously, if a more durable material is used, the life of the container par ticularly the life of the closure 63 and the locking detents 57 will be extended.

For the purpose of illustration, the container in Figures 7 to 9 is shown holding cigarettes or the like wrapped in a conventional foil or paper wrapper 65, which forms no part of the present invention. The wrapper 65 and its contents must obviously be introduced into the container before one or both ends of the same are closed during the construction of the container as abovedescribed.

A feature of this container is that 'the hinged closure 63 maybe conveniently operated with the thumb, while the container is held in one hand, and the detents 57 will hold the cover in closed position and permit of its easy opening.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A blank of sheet material for constructing a container comprising a body portion having fold lines defining first and second relatively wide panels and first and second relatively narrow panels, a liner portion secured to one end of the body portion and foldable upon the body portion and having fold lines adapted to overlie certain fold lines of the body portion, the body portion and liner portion being slit near corresponding sides thereof to form thereon a companion pair of tapering tongues with the tongue of the liner portion being shorter in the tapering direction than the tongue of the body portion, the body portion being further slit at its end remote from the linear portion and near its side having the tongue to form a second generally triangular tongue, the liner portion of the blank being further slit adjacent the inner end of the tongue of the liner portion and adjacent the fold lines of the liner portion to form therein a pair of small tabs, and container end wall forming flaps carried by the opposite sides of the blank body portion.

2. A rectangular container formed by the folding and gluing of a blank of sheet material comprising a pair of opposed relatively wide sides, a pair of opposed relatively narrow sides forming with the wide sides a rectangular body portion of the container, foldable flaps carried by opposite ends of the relatively wide and narrow sides and constituting when folded the opposite end walls of the container, a generally U-shaped reinforcing liner for the interior of the container and extending for substantially its entire length and covering the inner face of one of said relatively narrow sides and partially covering the inner faces of said relatively wide sides of the container and secured thereto, a diagonal corner opening formed through said reinforcing liner, said one relatively narrow side and said relatively wide sides, a hinged corner closure I6 element for the. container formed out of the material of said liner, one relatively narrow side and said relatively wide sides and being integral with one end wall of the container, and a pair of tab elements formed from the material of the liner and projecting through the diagonal opening at said relatively wide sides for frictional engagement with the inner faces of the sides of said corner closure element for releasably holding the same in closed position.

3. A unitary blank for constructing a paper container comprising a generally rectangular body portion'having first and second pairs of spaced parallel score lines extending transversely thereof for defining in the body portion pairs of relatively wide and relatively narrow rectangular panels adapted to constitute the wide and narrow sides of the container, a rectangular liner portion carried by one end of the body portion and constituting an in tegral extension thereof and being bodily foldable upon thebody portion so as to overlie a part thereof and having apair of spaced parallel score lines extending transversely thereacrossand adapted to overlie a pair of the body portion score lines so that subsequent folding of the body portion with the liner portion folded thereupon and glued thereto will provide in the container side portions thereof of at least two thicknesses, container end wall forming flaps carried by theopposite sides of the body portion and adapted when folded to constitute the end walls of the container, and a pair of tapering corner closure forming tongues formed in corresponding sides of the body portion and liner portion by. slitting the same, the slits forming said tongues providing a diagonal corner opening in the completed container constructed from the blank, said corner closure formed by the tongues in the completed container being hingedly connected with the adjacent end wall of the container formed by said flaps at the one side of the body portion.

4. An initially flat one piece blank for forming a paper container or the like, said blank being generally rectangular and elongated and provided with a plurality of spaced parallel transverse fold lines dividing the blank longitudinally into a pair of relatively wide rectangular panels with a relatively narrow rectangular panel disposed therebetween and a plurality of relatively narrow rectangular panels of substantially the same width disposed beyond the other side of one of said wide panels in side-by-side relation, one end of the blank terminating with the other relatively wide panel, a pair of relatively wide flaps carried by the opposite ends of each relatively wide panel, the flaps at corresponding ends of the wide panels having transverse fold lines near the transverse centers of the wide panels, the blank having longitudinal fold lines at the junctures of said wide flaps and panels to facilitate folding the latter, relatively narrow flaps carried by the opposite ends of said narrow panel which is between the wide panels and being foldable upon fold lines extending longitudinally of the blank at the junctures of said narrow panel and flaps, additional relatively narrow flaps carried by the opposite ends of the innermost one of said plurality of relatively narrow panels and being foldable upon longitudinal fold lines at the junctures of said flaps and panel, said blank being slit upon converging diagonal lines near and inwardly of one side thereof and also being slit longitudinally between the inner extremities of the diagonal slits to form a first inwardly tapering tongue, said tongue formed of the material of one relatively wide panel and a pair of said relatively narrow panels of said plurality of panels, the blank being further slit upon converging diagonal lines near and inwardly of said side and near one end of the blank and being slit longitudinally between the inner extremities of the last-named diagonal slits to form a second inwardly tapering tongue of similar shape but of somewhat smaller size than the first tongue, said second tongue formed of the material of the three endmost relatively narrow panels of said plurality of panels, said blank being further slit at the inner end of said second tongue to form a pair of spaced apart small tabs separate from the second tongue and formed of the material of a pair of said narrow panels of said plurality, said blank being slit in its end remote from the second tongue upon a longitudinal line and upon a diagonal line parallel to corresponding sides of the first and second tongues to form a third generally triangular tongue of approximately the same length as the first tongue.

5. A rectangular container formed from a unitary initially flat blank of sheet material comprising a pair of opposed relatively wide sides, a companion pair of opposed relatively narrow sides forming with the wide sides the body portion of the container, foldable flaps carried by opposite ends of said wide and narrow sides and constituting when folded the end walls of the container, a substantially U-shaped reinforcing liner for the interior of the container and substantially covering the inner face of one of said narrow sides and partially covering the inner faces of said wide sides, said container having a diagonal corner opening formed through said wide sides and through the narrow side which is adjacent the U-shaped liner, said liner projecting above the margins of said corner opening and having a separate corner opening formed therethrough the margins of which are parallel to the margins of the first-named corner opening, a pair of friction tabs carried by opposite sides of the liner portion which projects above the margins of the first-mentioned corner opening, and a corner closure element for the container hingedly secured to the end Wall thereof adjacent the corner opening and having side walls engageable about said portion of the liner which projects above the margins of the first-mentioned corner opening, the free edges of the side walls of the closure element adapted to abut the margins of the first-mentioned corner opening when the closure element is in the closed position, said friction tabs then frictionally engaging the inner faces of an opposed pair of the closure element side walls to retain the closure element in the closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 887,729 Kirmse May 12, 1908 1,656,919 Marsh Jan. 24, 1928 1,907,067 Hartmann May 2, 1933 2,112,571 Marshall Mar. 29, 1938 2,320,289 Marx May 25, 1943 2,361,597 Buttery Oct. 31, 1944 2,583,211 Fleming Jan. 22, 1952 2,672,273 Smith Mar. 16, 1954 2,701,679 Goldstein Feb. 8, 1955 2,803,394 Ringler Aug. 20, 1957 

